Justin clung to Cooper.
He really needed his dog's support right now.
Needed to feel the soft black fur of his dog.
The warmth which pored from every fiber of the dog's body.
Right now, the only feeling the young man had left inside of him was loneliness and sadness.
He felt the tears running down his cheeks.
In a desperate attempt, he tried to wipe them off his cheek with his free hand which wasn't clinging to Cooper.
But it was useless.
As soon as he had wiped away the first teardrop another rolled down his cheek.
It only stopped on the corner of his lips.
"Why Coop? Why does something like that always happen to me?", Justin hugged Cooper tighter.
The dog wore a worried expression.
He felt for his new friend, but didn't know how to help him, because he himself was confused as hell.
He just couldn't grasp all the things that he missed during the time he was together with the blond bombshell.
It all did make perfect sense now, all the little details that he couldn't understand before.
Didn't want to understand.
It was just part of his everyday life, so why bother by asking about it?
Justin sniffed and rubbed his nose on the hem of his shirt.
He didn't know what to do anymore.
He thought by staying at Debbie's son's best friend's home he might have the chance to collect his thoughts.
But right now, it seemed that instead of collecting his thoughts, they only got more confusing.
"What should I do? I'm at my wit's end.", he mumbled in the soft fur of his friend, and looked up.
That's when he noticed the blinking answering machine on the kitchen counter.
Without much thought, he let go of Cooper, stood up and went over the the kitchen counter.
He thought just a second before he pushed the button to hear the saved messages...
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Wow, thought he'd never notice the blinking answering machine.
Not that I mind so far.
The kid certainly had better things to do then to look around and notice something like that.
Like hugging me to death.
Not that I mind, it's really refreshing for a change not to get hit behind the head for being an asshole.
There's just one person in Pittsburgh, well okay, the whole world, that would care if I wouldn't appear at Babylon on a Friday night.
And on a Saturday, and maybe on Wednesday too.
So I just sit down beside Justin and listen to the never ending rambling of none other then my best friend Mikey.
"You have 15 unanswered calls.", oh that's just nice.
I'm away for like 2 fucking weeks and I only got 15 calls?!?
If it wasn't for Blondie here, who took me in yesterday, I would still be rotting in that shitty animal shelter.
15! That's plain ridiculous.
And I bet my ass and everything I have that none of them are important.
Just the all time rambling of my surrogate family.
"Hey Bri, where are you? I'm just outside Babylon and your Jeep is nowhere to be found. Well, I'll just go back in, I'm freezing my ass off. Later.", well that was number one.
I look up to Justin and smirk.
"You might as well sit down, this might take a while.", I bark and he looks down at me while the answering machine saves Mikey's message.
"Second message. 'Hey Bri, it's me again. Where the fuck are you? Got stuck in someones ass? Ahh, never mind. Later.' Message saved.", Oh, how I wish I were, Mikey.
I could hear music in the background so I suppose this time he hasn't been outside.
I hear Justin sigh when the next message begins and look up at him.
Hah, it seems that he begins to figure out that it will continue this way.
"Third message. ' Fuck Brian, where the he-' Message deleted.", surprised I look up and Justin still has his finger on the button to delete messages.
Smart little fucker.
I bark and wiggle my tail to show Justin that I like what he did.
"Another message from this one, and I swear, I will pull the plug.", Justin mumbles and I only smirk.
You might as well pull the plug now, it only will get worse.
"Fourth message. 'Brian, it's Lindsay. We're at the hospital. Gus got a little temperature, but nothing to worry about. Just called to let you know.' Message saved.", okay and now if I really would have bet I would be a homeless, unemployed bottom boy.
Why the fuck did Lindsay even bother to call me?
It's not like I would know my kid.
How could I? I wasn't allowed to see Gus, but I'm always good enough for money.
Just then, an idea popped into my head.
As soon as I can, I run back to my desk and rake through my mail.
Ha, just what I thought.
They called so I wouldn't be surprised.
'Allegheny General Hospital'
Just what I thought.
They only called so I'd know about it when the bill came.
Not to tell me my son was sick or to let me know he was at the hospital and I should come see him.
If they really wanted to tell me about Gus, they would have called my cell, because everyone knows that on a Friday night, I won't be home.
Hell, I don't even answer my phone or listen to messages when I'm home, because I have better things to do.
Like stick my dick in someones ass and give him the ride of his life.
"Fifth message. 'Asshole. Where are you now? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. I swear if you don't get here in another half an hour, I will come to kick your ass.' Message saved.", ahh, that's when Debbie noticed that I wasn't at home for at least a week and thought she could rent it to little blond boy ass.
"Hey Coop, somehow I get the impression that Brian isn't on a business trip.", Justin says and I tilt my head.
Justin pushes another bottom on the answering machine and it goes silent immediately.
What a relief for my ears.
I walk over to the sofa with the bill from the hospital between my teeth.
As I lay my head down on the sofa I feel it shift under some weight.
I look up and see Justin looking me straight in the eyes.
He's holding the picture frame again.
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